


Just Like in the Fairy Tales

by QuickSilverFox3



Series: Nano 2018 [1]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Asexual Character, Asexual Charlie Weasley, Asexual Viktor Krum, M/M, Secret Identity, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-01
Updated: 2018-12-03
Packaged: 2019-08-14 09:43:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,986
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16490243
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/QuickSilverFox3/pseuds/QuickSilverFox3
Summary: In the fairytales the dashing knight always has to win the tournament three times before the princess finds out who he is. But in this case, it’s two boys, Quidditch and accidental injury’s.





	1. First Meetings, Good First Impressions?

**Author's Note:**

> It’s November, it’s Nano and I am feeling determined! I hope you like this fic, constructive feedback is always welcome as I haven’t actually written anything non academic in like two years ^^   
> Italics are used when Bulgarian is being spoken.

This was potentially one of the worst ideas management had ever come up with and that was saying something, Krum mused as he circled the pitch once more. Wind buffeted his frame, whipping the Quidditch robes out behind him as he made minute adjustments to stay on his course. It was as natural as breathing, like his heart beating.

He was made to fly.

“ _Viktor! Are you ready_?”

And down his spirits fell once more, Icarus tumbling from the heavens. Krum sighed and flashed a thumbs up to his manager. Today was going to be a long day. Idly he cast his mind back as he waited for the next competitor to join him, to that sunny day last week where he had no idea of the storm approaching him.

-

Viktor shouldered his bag, flashing his name badge at the security guard as he passed, the faint smell of smoke from the Floo trailing behind him. He could feel the tension rolling underneath his skin, an itch he couldn’t scratch, a restlessness that sent him wandering the house at night to the annoyance of his Dad and Papa. And now he would get to fly once more.

Flexing his fingers he rubbed his thumb over the freshly healed mark on his right palm. Nina’s face had turned an odd shade of green when he had returned after the test match, a shard of wood skewering his hand, broomstick partially shattered and the snitch clutched in his other hand. He had also never heard her yell so loud when he attempted to fly the next day, her voice carrying easily across the pitch to where he was half concealed behind his taller team mates.

And so no flying until his hand healed, accelerated by magic but still painfully slow.

“ _Viktor_!”

Speak of the devil. Viktor inclined his head towards her, wriggling his newly healed hand in her direction.

_“I can fly,_ ” he informed her brusquely, aiming to cut off any objections before they left her lips.

“ _Not that. I have had a wonderful idea._ ”

That never boded well. Already Viktor felt his heart drop, casting wistful glances towards the small patch of blue sky he could see in the exit over her shoulder.

“ _Do not look like that, it is a wonderful idea.”_

Nina paused, ducking down to inspect her lipstick in the shiny reflection of a trophy before continuing on her walk, herding Viktor towards the back entrance to the pitch.

“ _We need a backup you. You know this yes_?”

Viktor nodded. He had chosen to fly with broken limbs, rather than forfeit the match, a decision that had required him to climb from his window in order to not invoke the wrath of his Papa. The news coverage of the map meant that his deception was uncovered immediately but it had been worth it.

“ _We need someone who is talented like you, intuitive like you, committed like you.”_

Another nod.

_“So what better way than have them race agains_ t you?”

Viktor stopped dead, turning his head slowly, every muscle screaming at him to run, to fly, to get away from this grinning demon.

“ _That is an awful idea.”_

_“It will work Viktor, trust me.”_

-

It had only been five days and they were the longest five days of Viktor’s life. Too many had taken the opportunity to just get close to him, and their gazes made his skin crawl, sending him farther and faster to get rid of them. Too few showed any promise at all, but Nina remained hopeful and so Viktor remained here.

“ _Good morning.”_

The voice was not a native speaker, traces of an accent twisting the syllables slightly, words formal and polite. Viktor twisted in his seat, legs tensing to accommodate and saw his next competitor. He had no face.

No. He had a face, it was just concealed beneath a Hide Me charm. What mouth Viktor could distinguish curled up in a smile as the other waved, the skin between glove and robe scattered with freckles, red hair cut short on the sides and pinned up at the top.

“ _Why the charm_?” Viktor asked, flying a touch closer so the man could hear his words, smoothing out his accent slightly.

“ _My family very big England supporters. Unhappy with me if they see_ ,” the man explained slowly, fingers curling and uncurling around the broomstick, brow furrowed in concentration. Viktor felt his lips curl upwards in a smile and nodded.

“ _My Papa supports England, my Dad Bulgaria. Good luck_.”

And with that, Viktor wheeled around and flew to the other end of the pitch, wind rushing past him, half sensing the changes in the air as he shifted himself minutely until he reached his destination.

“ _Ready_?” Nina called, her voice amplified, a manic grin spread across her face as the other man took his own place at the identical aerial obstacle course. Viktor gave her a thumbs up, one last side glance at the mysterious man to his left, before returning his attention to the course.

Matthias has been in charge of setting it up and it showed, the man’s chaotic leaping mind that worked so well in producing tactics and psychological warfare to use against the Away team, translated directly to the mess of shifting wires and beams, enchanted balls and dummies scattered before them. In long, it was a death trap; in short it was beautiful.

Viktor smiled, the sheer joy of being in the air of waiting for the instruction to go, every nerve wound and focused on the one moment bringing a rush to his head. The man, his competitor, was nothing but a distant memory now, a shadow at the corner of his eye.

There! Sparks! Go!

Viktor ceased to exist. He was air and wind, all focused on one singular target: the tiny golden ball dangling at the very end. He was there, arm stretched out, fingertips feeling the chill of the metal when another hand, patterned with freckles plucked it almost from his grasp; the man upside down, a manic grin plastered across his features.

Everything was dark and confusion after that. Blood oozed thickly out of his nose staining the towel pressed to it; Alice, the team medic, a warm presence at his side as she held his head still, one hand carding through his hair.

“ _One of the applicants was faster than him, he must’ve got a shock and went straight into a beam_ _that had shifted out of alignment_ ,” she was saying over his head.

“ _Why that one? Why him_?” Nina was wailing across the room, hands swinging to the danger of anyone in her immediate surroundings.

“ _One pretty boy smiles at you Viktor and you go to pieces_ ,” Ivan laughed seeing Viktor’s eyes blink slowly and focus, slightly sluggishly in the way they tracked Nina’s striding heels.

“ _What is Nina talking about?”_

_“Sit. Down_.”

Viktor aborted the motion to stand, a sharp stabbing pain in his head radiating through his once more broken nose.

“ _The man who was faster than you? He can’t be our reserve seeker. Didn’t know that at the time but_ -“ Ivan shrugged, spreading his hands, “ _Don’t even know his actual name, it’s got lost in the paperwork_.”

“ _I need to know who he is_ ,” Viktor mumbled, sitting up and swaying, eyes unfocused but mind focused on clouded features and a shock of red hair with a smattering of freckles on every visible inch of skin.

-

“ _You want to do what? No.”_

_“But Papa-“_

_“I said no Viktor, not again. Will you back me up in this Dragomir_?”

Viktor’s Dad kept his head buried behind the paper, curled up in the big armchair in the corner of the sitting room so that not even his socked feet could be seen.

“ _You’re doing such a wonderful job, light of my life. I didn’t want to ruin your stride_.”

Viktor glared at the paper which shook slightly with repressed laughter as Viktor’s Papa snarled at the wall of black text, rounding on Viktor once more like a wounded bear.

“ _You climb out of a window on a broken ankle-“_

_“Once!”_

A glare and a pointed figure quickly put a stop to any future objections as his Papa geared up for his lecture.

“ _Why do you need to find this one man?_ ”

Deflating visibly, his Papa wheeled around to gesticulate at his Dad, giving up and walking briskly into the small kitchen, the sounds of roughly handled porcelain echoing in his wake.

“ _It’s not attraction_ ,” Viktor said firmly, keen to nip that line of thought immediately in the bud, “ _More curiosity. Fascination_?”

His Dad nodded, scratching his patchy stubble with one hand before nodding towards the kitchen door.

“ _You are going to be on bed rest for a while for making your Papa worry, yes_?”

Viktor sighed, lying further back into the cushions, the rush of the air whipping past him still present on his skin, enough to calm the compulsion for a few days at least.

“ _Yes Dad. I am sorry.”_

_“Do not worry. Flying into a beam is hardly the most stupid thing men in our family have done while not thinking.”_

_“After all I married you_!” His Papa shouted from the kitchen in reply, as his Dad roaring with laughter at the oft repeated joke pressed himself into the cushions, one hand pressed to his heart and a wounded expression on his face.

“ _The man, his family supports England. He could be English_?” Viktor wondered, a few fragments of conversation floating back through his mind.

“ _I like my future platonic son-in-law already.”_

_“Papa!”_

_“What? A man can but dream_.”

A cup of boza was pressed into Krum’s hands, his Papa smoothing his hair back reflexively as the tray floated past to deposit another drink next to his Dad. “ _Mystery man later. Now rest_.”


	2. Meet Cute in a Coffee Shop

He did not pine over the mystery man, wake up gasping from gnarled and twisted dreams he could barely even recall, as this was not a fairy tale. Viktor was at heart a realist, a trait disliked by his teammates but there was very little they could do to sway him on this.

 

It was after one training session, the team splattered with mud and tempers running high that it came to a boil.  
“ _You need to stop this distraction_ ,” Nina snapped, shaking a fist in Krum’s direction.  
“ _I am not distracted_ ,” Krum called back, making another quick loop around the pitch, eyes scanning always scanning.  
“ _You flew past the same spectator row three times to make sure it wasn’t your mystery man!”  
_ _“Lies and slander Nina_!” Ivan called back, forced into a backflip to avoid the bludger Matthias sent his way.  
“ _He didn’t come here to be insulted that way_!” Iona yelled, cracking the bludger back towards Ivan with a shout.  
“ _I’m not going to see him again Nina. I know that_ ,” Krum said, drifting closer to the announcer box so he wouldn’t have to shout across the delighted yells of his teammates.  
“ _Your head may know that, but I don’t think your heart does_ ,” Nina informed him, raising an eyebrow at his aborted noise of protest.  
 _“Go do a coffee run, everyone deserves it_.”

 

And that lead him to here. To this moment. This coffee shop. Staring at the back of a strangers head in almost world shattering amazement.  
“ _What are you staring at_?” Zora asked, balancing on her tiptoes to peek over his shoulder, her scarf muffling her words.  
“ _Nothing._ ”   
That was a mistake. Zora has caught sight of the flash of red hair and let out a happy squeal, bouncing on the balls of her feet as she tugged on his arm.  
“ _You should talk to him! He could be the right one!”  
_ _“This isn’t a fairytale Zora. I’m not living with my head in the clouds searching for a man I’m never going to see again.”  
_ She visibly deflated, pouting up at him before leaning to peak at the stranger.  
“ _Next please!_ ”  
Viktor stepped up, physically pulling Zora with him as she leaned further and further back to keep eye contact with the back of the man’s head.

 

_“Two black, one coffee with soy, one hot chocolate, one cappuccino with extra chocolate, one hazelnut latte, one marshmallow hot chocolate, one green tea and a iced Frappuccino please,_ ” Viktor rattled off, keeping an eye on what the barista was jotting down, her handwriting also spilling across the surface of the cups as she did so.  
“ _All with a shot of pepper up please!” Zora chirped, still half leaning backwards._

_“Viktor_!”  
Viktor half turned, half pulled that way by her sudden shift in weight as he dropped the money on the floor. The bell above the door sang out its tune and Viktor caught a glimpse of bright blue eyes as the mysterious man- his mysterious man- exited the shop, slightly steaming cup held in one hand.  
“ _Well shit_ ,” Viktor sighed.

 

If his life was slowly dissolving into a fairy tale, he was going to have issues with fate.

 

“ _I saw Viktor’s mystery man!”  
_ _“Zora hush._ ”  
Matthias punctuated the smaller girls announcement by flying straight into Ivan, the other dropping his beaters bat to support the sudden weight of another person. Iona dove down to catch it, twirling both bats as if she was a cheerleader.  
“ _What do you mean: you saw Viktor’s mystery man_?”  
“ _In the coffee shop! So romantic! And he saw Viktor! He saw him just as he was leaving!”_ Zora yelled back, bouncing so enthusiastically she almost upset the tray of coffees drifting next to her.  
“ _He wouldn’t have recognised me Zora_ ,” Viktor said, trying to calm the girl down before she bounced straight over the barrier and onto the pitch.  
“ _A scarf and a hood can’t disguise your eyes Viktor,”_ Zora said scornfully, rolling her own eyes, “ _He knew._ ”

 

He would deny it to his fanatical teammates until his dying breath, but those two words spread warmth through his chest and a small smile to his face, still concealed behind the heavy scarf.


	3. Chapter 3

_"So how is the search going for a new backup seeker?"_  
The camera flashbulb exploded once more, the light briefly wiping out the expectant faces of the audience, quills poised at the ready as Nina leaned forward to speak into the mic. Viktor hated press conferences. His Papa seconded that opinion, having to be manhandled out of Viktor's first press conference by his Dad, Viktor wide eyed and stoic as the reporter repeated the question before Nina cut him down, this grown man who felt entitled to talk down to a sixteen year old. His Dad re-entered the room and stayed quietly in the back, occasionally smiling in encouragement at his son, his chest swelling with pride as his husband hissed curses and slammed lawsuits at the reporter as quickly as he could form the words. Now his Papa stayed at home, waiting by the fire and stress cleaning as he waited for the call that everything was okay, his Dad remained at the back, watching and nodding in encouragement.  
Viktor slowly let out a breath, forcing himself to settle back in his seat, forcing himself to relax, white knuckles uncurling as he studied his teammates.

Matthias had stopped paying attention during press conferences long ago, instead choosing to twist the paperclips in front of him into a mangled towering structure, tip of his tongue clenched between his teeth as he worked. Nothing short of a bomb exploding in his face was going to distract him now, sending small mints rolling down his masterpiece as he made small minute changes to the metal tracks. Iona watched him, plaiting his hair with deft nimble movements as she weaved ribbons and other colourful scraps of fabric into his dark black locks. The pair of beaters had quite the dedicated following, some fawning over Matthias improbable structures made entirely without magic, others delighting over Iona's use of colours and patterns to plot out mosaics in plaits, Matthias long hair providing the perfect canvas in comparison to her own shaved head. Zora was faintly vibrating, her bouncing leg sending ripples through the water balanced on the table. She glanced between Nina and the reporter, quill skittering across the parchment as she mixed doodles with meticulous note taking, words melding with the drawings in an almost illegible mess to anyone but her. Ivan looked as if he was paying attention to the undiscerning eye, back straight, head up and eyes locked onto an unknown point in the far distance. However his eyes were glazed over, a ball of wool resting by his feet as his hands worked frantically under the table. His chosen method of crocheting was quieter than Alexi's knitting, the other Chaser having to move slower to compensate for the clacking of his needles. That was part of the reason why they loved the controversy, more noise meant they could craft faster, eyes darting from the middle distance to underneath the table. Alexi was primarily lounging backwards in his chair, eyes darting between the ground and his craft project, brow furrowed as they worked. Julia was breath taking at press conferences, her hair neatly pinned up, make up expertly applied as she batted long eyelashes at the reporters whenever they strode too close to the line. This illusion only worked on the newer reporters, those cocky enough to cross the line and to not heed their older colleges warning. After all, she was just a small girl, dainty like a porcelain doll. Obviously this was some sort of hazing. They only thought that once. Framed in the teams locker room was a blown up wizarding photograph of the tiny girl throwing a table at a reporter who tried to suggest that Ivan just hadn't found the right woman yet, so couldn't possibly be gay.

Viktor loved his teammates, he truly did. Not many teams would have welcomed someone into their ranks as seamlessly as they did, particularly when he was a lot younger than them and still in school at the time of his joining. They were his family. That made situations like this both a blessing and a burden. He could sense their eyes upon him, some with raised eyebrows, some with knowing smirks, as Nina briefly dismissed the question, her answer meaningless wrapped up in false platitudes.

" _What are your plans for this upcoming season?"_  
 _"Is Viktor planning on retiring early?"_  
 _"What does this mean for the future of the Bulgarian team?"_

Viktor fought the urge to lie his head down on the desk and try to sleep amid the cacophony of noise erupting around him. He raised his head to search for his Dad, and froze.

He had to be kidding him.

His Dad threw back his head in a laugh, only slightly muffled behind his hand, still chuckling as he took a swig of his coffee, unable to escape the look of disgust passing over his face. And in front of him, was Viktor's mystery man. He was still obscured, facing entirely away from the benches on which the team were sat, but nothing could hide the mess of red hair spilling down his back, the freckles visible dotting his hands as he gesticulated when he talked. Had they noticed? Viktor glanced at his teammates, currently slouched in their normal press conference positions as he breathed a quiet sigh of relief. Maybe he could get through this, maybe he would be able to track the man down after this press conference. How did his Dad know him?

Zora's gasp hit him like a bludger to the face. With mounting dread, Viktor slowly turned his head to her, every nerve in his body screaming at him to run. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the mystery turn his head partially and begin to make his way through the crowd of reporters, ducking and dodging like a professional. No wonder he was a good Seeker.  
 _"Matthias! Smoke bomb! NOW!"_

To Matthias' credit, he did not even hesitate. There could be no hesitation in Quidditch. The tiny glass vial smashed against the podium, large clouds of heavy white smoke exploding out and filling the room which quickly dissolved into panicked screams and heavy feet hitting the ground. Viktor moved as fast as he could, vaulting over the table and landing in the press pit, immediately getting checked by a panicked journalist, staggering backwards from the force of the impact. A fierce grin spread across his face and he began to move, heavy and low, towards the back of the room where he knew his Dad and the mystery man had been. Hopefully he made it before the Beaters' did. Hands grabbed hold of his and his Dad pulled him close to his chest, turning and knocking Viktor against the wall, shielding him from the scrambled mess of bodies that were slowly becoming visible as common sense reared it's head, wands out and wind blowing to usher away the thick clouds.

And his mystery man had vanished once again.

_"Fuck."  
"Watch your fucking language,"_ his Dad snapped, protective anger warring with the urge to make a joke, giving him a weak smile as he smoothed Viktor's hair back from his face,  _"Your Papa is not going to be happy about this. What possessed you to run through a reporter mosh pit?"_  
Viktor ignored the whoops behind him, Ivan and Matthias dancing around in circles, heavy boots clomping on the stage as Julia played heavy rock music through her wand, jumping along with the beat.  
 _"I saw my mystery man over here. You were talking to him!"_  
 _"Ah,_ " his Dad nodded knowingly, a mysterious smile on his face that he held for a full ten seconds before he crumbled under Viktor's unamused stare.  
 _"You are your Papa's son,"_  he said, tapping Viktor on the nose, " _He's in the changing room."_  
 _"Thank you Dad,_ " Viktor said before running out of the room, vaulting over a reporter who did move out of the way fast enough. He was confined to the ground still, body heavy and unwieldy but in this moment he was as fast and free as a bird.

Viktor skidded to a halt in front of the door of the changing room, chest heaving as he caught his breath, heart slamming against his ribs. It loomed before him, a path Fate was sending him on and yet...

Viktor was many things, but never a coward. Squaring his shoulder, Viktor pushed open the door.

Perched on the benches in the centre of the room, swinging his legs was his mystery man, a wide grin on his unconcealed face.  
" _Hello,_ " Viktor said gruffly, trying to conceal his staring.  
" _Hello,_ " the mystery man said, openly staring back, " _My name is_  Charlie Weasley."  
" _Viktor Krum_ ," came the automatic response, Viktor blushing to his ears as Charlie chuckled.  
" _My Bulgarian isn't good. Can you speak English?_ " Charlie asked, pressing his lips together in a quick frown, shrugging helplessly.  
"Yes. Speaking is hard, but understand yes," Viktor answered, feeling the words come out harsh and clunky in his mouth.  
"I don't normally track down men after beating them in flying competitions," Charlie said, hiding his grin behind his hand at Viktor's scowl and tut at the end of his words, "but you were different. Not attraction, not my thing, but maybe something different."  
"Yes, the same for me," Viktor said, hope welling in his heart. Someone like him? He barely believed it was possible and yet...

Charlie breathed out a sigh of relief, the man visibly relaxing, a slow smile forming on his face.  
"Would you like to grab some lunch and have a chat face to face?"  
Viktor nodded, offering Charlie his arm and the other man gratefully took it, matching relaxed smiles on both their faces as they exited the changing room and into the unknown future together.


End file.
